A Truly Notable Tarot Reading

Updated 7/18/11: See Mic update at the end and helpful recommendations in the Comments.

Imagine that a client comes to you for a premium reading. They spend an hour and a lot of money, but when they get home they can hardly remember a word of the deep wisdom and insights they just received. I like to trust that their subconscious is making use of it, but I know from experience the value that comes from reviewing a reading in depth. What to do?—No one uses audio cassettes anymore.

I got myself an iPad 2 and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’ve been waiting a year for the next generation and I’m thrilled to have it. One of my main intentions was to use it as a fancy digital recorder for tarot consultations. And by fancy, I mean FaNcY! Nothing else offers the bells and whistles this does [except the iPhone, which can do most of these things, too].

In one, relatively small package, you can record a reading, take notes on it, create an annotated sketch of a personalized layout, and include photos of the completed tarot spread and even of the grinning querent and reader. And, at the end of the session, you can instantly email the reading to clients so it’s waiting for them on their computer when they get home (or on their iPhone or iPad for their immediate viewing and listening pleasure). Talk about moving into the 21st century! Now, there can be a few glitches in this otherwise perfect scenario. Occasionally an app crashes. Audio files can get really big and cause problems with mail. And one app even caused my whole iPad to crash (boy, is that app going to get a thumbs down!). Additionally, you can’t email unless there’s a WiFi connection or you have G3, but even if you have to send the file later that’s hardly a deal breaker. Here’s a couple of apps that make the whole process irresistable.

Click for larger image

NOTABILITY – This app does it all and the new price of $2.99 is a still a steal. Since I originally wrote this post, Notability has been upgraded, and they added all the features I asked for (thank you very much!).

Type notes such as the question or subject of the reading, aspects of the issue that could be the basis of a personalized spread, recommended resources. You can use a variety of fonts & colors and can indent to create outlines.

Record the conversation. The audio recording will continue even while you perform other functions within the app and outside of it, and you can pause it.*

Insert a photo of the actual spread. You can resize the image and move it on the page and now place images side-by-side.

Create a sketch of the spread or layout (basic shapes included as well as freehand drawing and text). You can also draw on a photo to circle important symbols or lines of sight and emphasis. No other app that I know includes all these features.

The Send options are excellent since you can mail as a zipped PDF + separate Audio file; or, to other Macs only as an RTFD (opens in TextEdit). It also works with Dropbox (cloud computing).

*If you are recording your own readings—talking to yourself as you look at a card or spread—this app can be fantastic. Just type a few keywords as you speak to indicate ideas you want to return to, then, when playing back the audio, if you tap on one of those keywords or phrases, the audio will jump forward or backward to that part of the recording! This would be a great way to journal the exercises in 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card!

AUDIO MEMOS 2 – Free for the basic app, which is adequate; pay for upgrades.

This is a professional level audio voice recorder. You won’t get the photos or the notes, but you will get great recordings even with only the built-in mic (either .wav or for smaller files – .aac). You can do button or voice activated recordings and you can pause and restart. You can also do some basic editing. When played back on Audio Memos it can jump to annotatable position markers that you set when recording. Unfortunately, the position markers don’t work if you playback via a different application. End the recording and email it in seconds (if you are net-connected) or save it to mail later. CONS: Photos and sketches have to be created in another app and sent separately; you can only mail up to 15mb and the best quality files are BIG. You should be able to record an hour on .aac setting. If you want .wav use the included timer and start a new recording when the file gets too big. You can export to Dropbox or Evernote.

GARAGEBAND– $4.99. I don’t use this myself as I find it overkill for simple recording, but others love it. Great editing features.

EVERNOTE – Free with limited space on its server; a monthly charge for more space.

This note-taking app saves everything on its own server, making it accessible to you from any computer or mobile. You can also give others access to some of your files. You can type, record and take a photo without leaving the app and it’s designed to easily insert webclips (like a spread from tarot.com). CONS: You can’t sketch; if you stop the recording you have to start a new one; the emailer crashed the app and froze my iPad! PROS: I discovered, after recording a Skype interview with someone in Italy, that I could transfer the giant AudioMemos .wav file to Evernote and then access it through my Evernote web account on my home computer and mail it via SendThisFile—problem solved.

Added: A MUST HAVE for Professional Tarot Readers who do face-to-face or phone readings is a Credit Card App (PayPal works well for internet consultations). A credit card app will work with both the iPhone and the iPad. It allows you to accept charges and the money is then deposited in your bank account (or a check can be mailed to you). The most handy and reasonable app, that has no hidden fees or monthly charges, is Square, which is perfect for those who only need to take credit cards occasionally. See recommendations in the Comments section by people who have used it.

There are other Notes+Audio apps that I haven’t checked out yet like AudioNote, SoundNote, Sundry Notes, ClassNotes, PaperDesk, some of which may be better if you prefer handwriting and sketching to typing. If anyone has any suggestions, please let us know in the comments. Added:My Notebook! app has all the functions I’ve recommended, including a great handwriting/sketching option—smooth & with the best arrangement for color choosing I’ve seen. But the interface is unnecessarily complicated and the free Lite version has quite a few limitations, like not being able to try out any of the many Send features.

And, of course, iPad/Phone comes with FaceTime, which, like Skype, gives you the option of face-to-face calls for readings at a distance. Read suggestions for Skype recording in the Comments.

UPDATED note on External Mics:

Under most circumstances the little mic in the iPad will do okay for face-to-face readings if you don’t mind the hollow tone and a bit of a lisp in your voice. Don’t speak directly into it.

If you want an external, portable mic, then I highly recommend the Samson Go Mic. It’s very small (though surprisingly heavy), clips onto your iPad or stands alone, and works with the iPad USB camera connector. You can also plug headphones directly into the mic. It’s good enough for podcasts-on-the-go, although a pop-filter helps for optimum sound when in uni-directional mode. This video review is very helpful for understanding the three sound settings and hearing it in action.

Some Blue USB Microphones work through the iPad USB camera connection kit. The Blue Yeti is supposed to be the best of its class (+/-$125) but requires a powered USB hub. The Snowball and Snowflake are cheaper, more portable and don’t require the powered hub, but the quality goes down. If you are doing podcasts then go with the Blue Yeti (I would). I understand Blue is working on more portable mic solutions for the iPad/Phone.

See the Comments for other great suggestions for recording, including internet video and audio recording via Skype and Conference Calls.

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About

Mary K. Greer has made tarot her life work. Check here for reports of goings-on in the world of tarot and cartomancy, articles on the history and practice of tarot, and materials on other cartomancy decks. Sorry, I no longer write reviews. Contact me HERE.

47 comments

As if I needed any more excuse to get an iPad II…. my laptop comes in handy for voice recordings in situ, though it’s a little on the heavy side, in comparison. RS11 and shopping in NYC is only days away – I wonder if I’ll be able to resist getting one while I’m there, them being cheaper in the US than the UK – thanks Mary, I’d better set aside a little extra spending money for the trip now…. 😉

Thank you Mary! This is a wonderful post. I have been doing Game readings, which include a take home Reading sheet with my handwritten notes…but this idea of digitally recording voice and picture is tremendous.

Oh, no. Now I’m going to be responsible for everyone wasting tons of time playing on their new, so-much-fun iPads!!! Laptops & Netbooks with a camera function can do much the same thing but aren’t so small and easy to carry around.

Yes, I’ll have my iPad at RS11 and hope to use it for my readings there. Last year everyone was snapping pictures with their cameras. This year, I predict, will be iPad mania.

Diane – As you say, you won’t be able to take and insert a picture instantly with the 1st gen-iPad. You can use the USB/Memory-Reader accessory but you still have to take a picture with the camera, remove the Memory-card, insert in iPad, etc. When upgrading tech, I almost always skip a generation or two, but I know I always long for the newest & best.

LOL – yes Mary, you will be responsible for many purchases. Apple should give you a commission. I’m going to show this to my husband who sometimes thinks I don’t “need” more gadgets. Now I can simply say “Mary said it is very practical…etc. etc.”

Now Mary, if I could find a way for you to convince him to clean the garage and basement, I’d be even more impressed with your salesmanship! LOL

Another technology option that’s great (especially for journaling) is using a digital pen and paper. [I’m bringing it to Readers Studio if anyone wants to see an example – as my explanation may not be clear 😉 ]

It allows you to have all the pros of paper and pen and it’s flexibility, plus the pen records audio. One problem with large audio files is finding the bits of audio that you wanted to listen to again. This tool allows your written text to be a “visual table of contents” of your audio. In other words, touch the paper where you wrote something and you’ll hear the audio being spoken at that moment.

It also syncs to your computer, and optionally to the cloud or Evernote or exports to a PDF file with attached audio. It’s rather amazing.

Thanks for the additional tech option. It seems that there’s something for everyone. It’s finding what’s best for each of us, within our financial means, that’s important.

I can see how the digital pen/paper would be great, as you say, for personal journaling and for taking notes in a class. It seems a little more limited for recording professional readings as the client will not have the special paper and pen and so must rely on the reader downloading notes and audio and then emailing them to the client. It sounds like you would also need a camera if you want a photo of the spread and would also have to download that – although you could draw the spread, like many of us already do.

I should mention that iPad camera photos are not terribly good – not nearly as good as those with an iPhone (blow up my sample pdf page in the post to see), but they are adequate for creating a pictorial record. Images, downloaded to the iPad from your camera (even compressed) will be much, much better quality.

It is pretty easy and you can’t beat the price (free). The only challenge is making sure you have a strong wi-fi signal for transactions. I’ll have mine at RS so you can see it in action. See you soon!

I just use a laptop and recording and burning software. When I’m done the client has a cd to take with them. I haven’t tried any online readings with Skype but plan to. I’m so behind the times I still don’t have a webcam. A client is sending me one so I can read for her friends and family. Does Skype record?
Vaya Con Dios,
Robert E.

Robert –RS11 is Readers Studio 2011 – an extended weekend of advanced tarot training workshops in New York. By ‘advanced’ I mean it ranges from someone who just basically knows that there’s 78 cards divided into a Major and Minor Arcana, to professional readers and teachers, to those who simply read for themselves or love the history. It’s notable, in part, because everyone is so friendly and supportive. Of course, for many of us, it’s become old home week as we get to see friends from across the country and even the globe whom we haven’t seen in a year or whom we’ve only known from the internet forums, but total newbies quickly fit right in. I highly recommend it as the presenters and company are top-notch.

I don’t believe Skype records but your computer can probably take screen shots and, with the permission of the other person, might be able to record using an audio program (or use a separate digital recorder). I recently interviewed by someone in Italy via audio-only Skype. Her recording device didn’t work, but I was trying out my iPad to see how well it would pick up the conversation, and I was able to send it to her.

I have Notability (It’s one of my favorite apps for the iPad) but hadn’t thought about use my iPad for readings – thanks for the wonderful idea! I have the iPad 1 but I can always use my iPhone to take a photo of the cards – or my scanner, for that matter.

By the way, someone mentioned Square for taking payments. I use Square and it works great – I use it when reading at psychic fairs or when client wants to use a credit card to pay — and it works with both the iphone and the ipad as long as you have a Wi-Fi or 3G connection.

Funny – I had a reading done for myself awhile back and the reader handed me a cassette at the end of the reading. I haven’t had a cassette player in years! 🙂 When doing Skype readings, I use the Skype recorder and then provide the client with a download link from where they can download the .mp3 file of their reading.

Roger –
I looked on Skype help and it says you have to use a 3rd party computer audio program. Here’s some suggestions that I found (go to end for most recent options): http://forum.skype.com/index.php?showtopic=477581
Do you have a link for the method you use?

I’m thrilled to hear someone else likes Notability, also. Thanks for the thumbs up on Square – off to order one.

“Imagine that a client comes to you for a premium reading. They spend an hour and a lot of money, but when they get home they can hardly remember a word of the deep wisdom and insights they just received. I like to trust that their subconscious is making use of it, but I know from experience the value that comes from reviewing a reading in depth. What to do?—No one uses audio cassettes anymore.”

I agree! I certainly salute this blog. Why should we let ourselves being left behind with technology if there’s a mean to go with it?

Just wanted to thank Roger for the heads up on “Call Recorder” — I used the split screen function to record a Skype video chat so both people’s faces are on the screen. It worked great! And records audio great too. I downloaded Notability for my first gen iPad and it looks like it works great, just no photo. Thanks again Mary!

Joanna – glad you found Call Recorder helpful! I use it all the time myself. I neglected to mention in my comment however, that Call Recorder is a Mac product but there are several Windows alternatives as well.

Mentioned this on the Aeclectic Tarot post about this blog entry but you’ve inspired me to record my readings not just for the querent but for me to see how I truly sound when I read.

First I’d probably want to do a lil affirmation so I don’t just listen and beat myself up: “I am honing my craft as a reader, added insights only help me to grow stronger.” Then I’d listen to see:

Were there places I could have been more clear?
Did I repeat myself?
Did I answer follow up questions?
What were those gems that I KNOW I gave someone but forgot later?
Do I have a catch-phrase that could make its way into marketing materials
What is the quality of my voice when I am reading? What sorts of things make me sound less confident?

Looking forward to seeing you again at RS2011. We’ll have our new sparkly iPad2 there also 🙂 to demonstrate a Sabian Symbol iApp oracle. And we have a copy of the iApp for you from Lyn too!

For those asking about recording Skype, I use “PAMELA” to record Skype sessions and it works fine … and you may want to keep an eye on this space and elsewhere (such as Tarot-Town) for the exciting announcement we’re making at RS2011 of a totally innovative system of online reading we’re launching on World Tarot Day (May 25th) if all goes to plan. We’ll be unveiling it at RS2011 for the first time …

Paul –
Ah, but Paul, Kindle, Nook and iBook apps are all available free for the iPad so you can read books from any of them! I do have to say that reading a book on a Kindle is easier for several reasons, but it is still entirely functional on a iPad except out in the bright sun. And kids picturebooks can be delicious. I even understand there are now kids ‘pop-up’ books available (pull the ‘tab’ and something wonderful happens).

I love seeing so many fellow Tarot Readers that are using Technology. Last year I worked on a Tarot Spread app for iPhones and iPads, and I was nervous about Tarot Readers that use Technology. A lot of my students aren’t up-to-date with the latest gadgets, so they didn’t get the app. Even the folks that contributed to the App, didn’t get it because they didn’t have an iPhone or iPad.

I’ve had an iPhone for years, but I’ve been a happy IPad user since the beginning of the Summer. I’m looking forward to seeing all the iPads at BATS in August (it will be my first Tarot convention).

Finally got back to this post when I got my ipad. I have a question though, how do you use it during the session without it getting in the way? Any tips for how to record somthing of value without spending lots of time fiddling with it? Any hints, tips, wrinkles or advice greatly recieved!

If you record a long reading – an hour or more, you will have a very large file. I transfer it to my desktop Mac and mail via “SendThisFile”. Most of the time I simply take a photo of the spread rather than trying to write a lot about it. That seems to be the simplest solution.

Fantastic ideas here. I do online readings and present them in Word Ruth pictures and a full transcript. Works well and I enjoy the added creative experience of producing a lovely looking document for a customer to refer to at any time

nataliaclarke –
What is “Word Ruth”? I assume your “online” readings are only text, rather than live conversations, or do you transcribe your conversations for the client. If you do the latter, then that is a lovely service. How long does it take for you to produce the illustrated transcript? Do you charge extra or is this included in your initial price?